Consolidating Structural Power: Cognitive Preferences of the Obama Administration in Molding an Asia Pacific Security Order

　　Abstract: The primary objective of the Obama Administration in influencing the direction of the security framework for Asia and the Pacific is to consolidate the structural power that the U.S.has long enjoyed in the region.The Obama Administration believes that as the U.S.faces increasing difficulty in setting the global agenda, as existing institutions becomes less effective in terms of restricting the behavior of other states, and as its current power network continues to face shocks as a result of regional integration, the U.S.must reshape the norms and institutions of the Asia Pacific Region.The Obama Administration has continuously demonstrated its presence in the region by working to set the agenda, by advancing norms and institutions, and by providing security goods and setting security expectations. This has enabled it to boost its prestige as a regional leader, and to consolidate its authority over the setting of the rules of the regional security “game.” Looking towards the future, America’s primary focus on shaping the security framework of the Asia Pacific Region will not change, however it will make moderate adjustments to its specific policies based on its domestic situation and the global strategic context. 

　　About the Author: Pan Yuanqiang is a Lecturer in the PLA University of Foreign Language